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Baseball

Front row, from left: Greg Thomson (Island Trees), Scott King (Connetquot), Peter Ciofrone (Smithtown), Tom Pennino (St. John the Baptist), Matt Gidaly (St. John the Baptist), Brian Rath (Wantagh). Back row, from left: Nassau Coach of the Year Tom Abruscato (Clarke), Jason McCorry (MacArthur), Bryan Sabatella (Shoreham-Wading River), David Wood (Longwood), Mike Bradham (Clarke), Craig Hansen (Glen Cove), Ryan McArdle (St. John the Baptist), Brian Johnson (East Islip), Suffolk Coach of the Year John Habyan (St. John the Baptist). (Photo by Ken Kreitzman)

A look at the baseball players who stood out on Long Island high school varsity squads in the spring of 2002.

MIKE BRADHAM
Clarke, Senior, Third Baseman

Two-time All-County selection and earned the Nassau Conference B-IV MVP. He batted .500 with 46 hits, including 21 extra-base hits. The 6-2 Bradham drove in 34 runs and scored another 30. The hard-throwing righthander added a 9-2 pitching record with a 1.07 ERA as the Rams marched to the school's first county title since 1973. Accepted a scholarship to play at C.W. Post in the fall.

PETER CIOFRONE
Smithtown, Senior, Shortstop

Yes, he played on the varsity every year between the eighth and 12th grades. Five years of excellence during which he earned the Gold Glove award four times and All-Suffolk County four times. He's one of five players to be selected to Newsday's All-Long Island team in its first two years. Ciofrone is a .423 career hitter. This season, he batted .443, with 10 homers, 8 doubles, 20 walks and 10 hit by pitches. He crushed three home runs in one game against Ward Melville. And he hit two homers and a double in one game against Longwood. He was named co-most valuable player of Suffolk League I.

MATT GIDALY
St. John the Baptist, Senior, Pitcher

Gidaly will be remembered as the catalyst for the St. John the Baptist offense. He was the ultimate leadoff hitter -- producing a .360 batting average, 31 runs scored, 3 homers and 16 RBIs. He also was a valuable commodity on the mound where he earned the CHSAA's pitcher of the year award. He finished with an 8-0 record with a 1.70 earned-run average and 56 strikeouts. He owned a perfect fielding percentage in centerfield with 22 putouts and 12 assists. He'll attend Siena on a scholarship in the fall.

CRAIG HANSEN
Glen Cove, Senior, Pitcher

Earned the Nassau Conference B-II MVP after posting a 7-0 pitching record with a 0.00 earned-run average, including six shutouts. The 6-6 righthander has been clocked at 92 mph and consistently throws 88. Hansen allowed only one unearned run in 66 innings and struck out 105 batters. He went the distance in a 12-inning, 1-0 playoff win over Garden City, in which he struck out 13. Accepted a scholarship to play for St. John's University in the fall.

BRIAN JOHNSON
East Islip, Sophomore, Pitcher

What more can you say about a sophomore that throws a school-record three no-hitters in one season? How about this: He produced a 9-1 record with an earned-run average of 0.53. Johnson, in his third year on the varsity, has a career record of 20-2. He struck out 91 batters in 65 innings, walked just 16 and fired five shutouts. He earned the Suffolk League III MVP award. His lone loss this season came in the Suffolk Class A quarterfinal game against Brentwood.

SCOTT KING
Connetquot, Senior, Outfielder

King earned the Suffolk League II MVP -- for an unprecedented third time. He led Connetquot to the Suffolk Class A championship with a .473 average and an 8-1 pitching record with an earned-run average of 0.78. He finished with 65 strikeouts in 63 innings and fired a four-hitter in a 6-0 win over Brentwood in the Suffolk Class A title game. The three-time All-County selection had 25 RBIs, walked 15 times and stole 10 of 10 bases. Accepted a scholarship to attend Siena College in the fall.

RYAN McARDLE